Anyone go to med school after nursing school

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in CVICU, CV Transplant.

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone went to med school after nursing school? I originally wanted to be a CRNA but after rationalizing the whole situation, I could be a doctor in about the same amount of time. The reason I say this is because I think it is not realistic to believe I will get into CRNA school two years out of nursing school. Anyone have any thoughts or experience with this situation?

Thanks

Avery

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Specializes in ER, Medicine.

I'm not going to med school because I want to be a nurse. Even if I did want to be a physician I would never be a nurse first. I'd just go straight into med school. You should follow your heart. What do you really want to be? Hopefully it's not solely based on the money you would be making. I'd follow my heart.

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I'm not going to med school because I want to be a nurse. Even if I did want to be a physician I would never be a nurse first. I'd just go straight into nursing school. You should follow your heart. What do you really want to be? Hopefully it's not solely based on the money you would be making. I'd follow my heart.

Why would you go straight into nursing school if you wanted to be a physician?

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Specializes in Ortho, Med surg and L&D.
Hi,

I was wondering if anyone went to med school after nursing school? I originally wanted to be a CRNA but after rationalizing the whole situation, I could be a doctor in about the same amount of time. The reason I say this is because I think it is not realistic to believe I will get into CRNA school two years out of nursing school. Anyone have any thoughts or experience with this situation?

Thanks

Avery

HI,

Not me but, some people I know. One great and wonderful doctor that I know worked as a nurse first before going to med school, another wonderful woman doctor that I know was a pharmacist first.

A fellow classmate of mine was a post-bacc pre-med student hoping to become an anesthetist, (spelling?).

I say to go for what you want in whatever route you feel is best for you. If you feel you will be a more rounded out nurse or CRNA or doctor good!!!

Gen

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Specializes in CVICU, CV Transplant.
HI,

Not me but, some people I know. One great and wonderful doctor that I know worked as a nurse first before going to med school, another wonderful woman doctor that I know was a pharmacist first.

A fellow classmate of mine was a post-bacc pre-med student hoping to become an anesthetist, (spelling?).

I say to go for what you want in whatever route you feel is best for you. If you feel you will be a more rounded out nurse or CRNA or doctor good!!!

Gen

Ok, sorry, I guess I should clarify. I am 1 year away from my BSN but am now considering going to med school. I am definitely going to finish my BSN, but was just wondering if anyone had found themselves in a similar mindset.

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Specializes in Community Health Nurse.
Hi,

I was wondering if anyone went to med school after nursing school? ..............................................................Anyone have any thoughts or experience with this situation?

Thanks

Avery

I wish I had, and I still want to become a doctor. I have always dreamed of becoming a doctor since age eight. I had dreams of making it as an actress and singer, too. Never once dreamed of being a nurse. It wasn't until I was already in college that a dear friend of mine talked me into going through the nursing program with her. We both became nurses. The first ten years I was a nurse, I enjoyed it. Took a little break from it for health reasons, returning a couple years ago, and the spark has yet to return. So, I still think about making my childhood dream come true. Is it possible after age fifty to go to med school?

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... So, I still think about making my childhood dream come true. Is it possible after age fifty to go to med school?

How about becoming an NP, shorter than med school. Unless of course you want to go into some specialize area like cardiac surgery or something.

-Dan

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Specializes in ER, Medicine.
Why would you go straight into nursing school if you wanted to be a physician?

Whoops...I meant to say med school. I'm just really big on nursing!:chuckle

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Hi,

I was wondering if anyone went to med school after nursing school? I originally wanted to be a CRNA but after rationalizing the whole situation, I could be a doctor in about the same amount of time. The reason I say this is because I think it is not realistic to believe I will get into CRNA school two years out of nursing school. Anyone have any thoughts or experience with this situation?

Thanks

Avery

hi avery i was accepted into med school this year. i am attending UCONN in Aug 05. I graduate with my BSN in MAY 05 but probably will not be utilizing my nursing degree. At first I pursued the nursing route because my mom insisted on it but then i tacked on the premed track. I think u should go for it. no regrets.

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I wish I had, and I still want to become a doctor. I have always dreamed of becoming a doctor since age eight. I had dreams of making it as an actress and singer, too. Never once dreamed of being a nurse. It wasn't until I was already in college that a dear friend of mine talked me into going through the nursing program with her. We both became nurses. The first ten years I was a nurse, I enjoyed it. Took a little break from it for health reasons, returning a couple years ago, and the spark has yet to return. So, I still think about making my childhood dream come true. Is it possible after age fifty to go to med school?

Yes, it is possible. Check out http://www.oldpremeds.com

While they assured me I could still be a doc entering medical school after fifty, I must say that the prospects of getting into a U.S. Allopathic medical school are--well, do you have a rich uncle who loves you so much that would like to make a big donation to some medical school...??? :)

What alternatives are there, then, you say? There are osteopathic physicians. (D.O.'s) In this country (but not around the world), D.O.'s do the same work as do allopathic physicians--in fact, they even compete in the same residency matches (actually, D.O. students can get into D.O. and allopathic residencies--however, M.D. students cannot go into D.O. residencies.)

Another alternative is to go to medical school outside of the United States. This is a huge, humongous arena, fraught with pitfalls of various sorts. Problem #1: in many countries, people go to medical school after "high school", and attend for 6 years before getting their degree. Problem #2: the type of education given in other countries tends to be of a different style than American medical school. Cool, you say? Well, not so quick, at least if you want to practice in the U.S. In order to practice in the U.S. you must take and pass the 3 steps of the United States Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE, for short). American medical schools basically "teach to the exam", to describe it in the briefest terms. And getting good scores on the USMLE (especially step 1) are very important for getting good residencies--and you will need all the help you can get as a USFMG (United States Foreign Medical Graduate).

Anyway...I could go on and on...you can find out more with my good friends at:

http://www.valuemd.com

NurseFirst

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Hi,

I was wondering if anyone went to med school after nursing school? I originally wanted to be a CRNA but after rationalizing the whole situation, I could be a doctor in about the same amount of time. The reason I say this is because I think it is not realistic to believe I will get into CRNA school two years out of nursing school. Anyone have any thoughts or experience with this situation?

Thanks

Avery

read:

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/issue/050131/

My short take on it:

Medicine, sadly, is a profession which has long since reached its ascendancy and is now on the decline. Medicine has lost power--to the insurance companies, to HMOs, etc.

Nursing is a profession on the ascendency: nursing has been doing nothing but gaining more and more power.

If you want to do something health-care related and make a lot of money?

Become a pharmaceutical rep. They make more than many doctors they visit--they don't have to pay , worry about killing someone (at least immediately) and get to convince docs and other healthcare folks to go on cruises and cool dinners, etc. (There's a thread on this site somewhere which talks about refusing to take pharmaceutical rep "gifts"--which range from notepads, pens, etc, to vacation excursions and "medical education".) Look at some of the prices physicians pay for malpractice insurance; it's unreal. Hundreds of thousands of dollars for some specialties.

Schooling:

Medicine: minimum of 11 years post-high school education, generally.

(for the shortest residencies; e.g., family practice, internal medicine.

surgery is 5 years, surgical specialties add on to that.)

Nurse Practioner, CRNA, etc.: 6-7 years

Admission:

Medicine: very limited; there hasn't been a new allopathic medical school

started in many, many years.

APN: programs are plentiful, and more are starting

Loan burden:

Medicine: $100,000-$200,000 by the time residency is finished

Nursing: not sure, but certainly have fewer years to pay off, and can get to work more quickly.

Malpractice:

Medicine: up to hundreds of thousands

Nursing: not nearly that much

Granted, RNs don't make much compared to physicians in some parts of the country. However, some APNs can probably earn close to or even more than some of the lower paid medical specialties (family practice, psychiatry.)

I would think extremely seriously about going to medical school as it stands currently.

NurseFirst

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read:

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/issue/050131/

My short take on it:

Medicine, sadly, is a profession which has long since reached its ascendancy and is now on the decline. Medicine has lost power--to the insurance companies, to HMOs, etc.

Nursing is a profession on the ascendency: nursing has been doing nothing but gaining more and more power.

If you want to do something health-care related and make a lot of money?

Become a pharmaceutical rep. They make more than many doctors they visit--they don't have to pay malpractice insurance, worry about killing someone (at least immediately) and get to convince docs and other healthcare folks to go on cruises and cool dinners, etc. (There's a thread on this site somewhere which talks about refusing to take pharmaceutical rep "gifts"--which range from notepads, pens, etc, to vacation excursions and "medical education".) Look at some of the prices physicians pay for malpractice insurance; it's unreal. Hundreds of thousands of dollars for some specialties.

Schooling:

Medicine: minimum of 11 years post-high school education, generally.

(for the shortest residencies; e.g., family practice, internal medicine.

surgery is 5 years, surgical specialties add on to that.)

Nurse Practioner, CRNA, etc.: 6-7 years

Admission:

Medicine: very limited; there hasn't been a new allopathic medical school

started in many, many years.

APN: programs are plentiful, and more are starting

Loan burden:

Medicine: $100,000-$200,000 by the time residency is finished

Nursing: not sure, but certainly have fewer years to pay off, and can get to work more quickly.

Malpractice:

Medicine: up to hundreds of thousands

Nursing: not nearly that much

Granted, RNs don't make much compared to physicians in some parts of the country. However, some APNs can probably earn close to or even more than some of the lower paid medical specialties (family practice, psychiatry.)

I would think extremely seriously about going to medical school as it stands currently.

NurseFirst

Just a note....I dont know of one drug rep that makes more than a physician and I know many of them!!! Sure some of those higher up in the food chain do but not your run of the mill drug rep...... Most people do not make it to those positions. Also you need to consider that the pharmaceutical industry while still great and thriving has overall slowed down in the recent years and have done rounds of layoffs. It is not as easy to find and maintain these jobs and when you lose your job you do not have anything to fall back on unless you have a functional degree or healthcare degree. I am not trying to continually argue with you nursefirst as I have rebuted another of your comments. I just want those whom you are giving advice to know the other side and from someone whom has a great deal of experience with these situations. Dont get me wrong the pay for a pharmaceutical rep is good (comfortable) but they dont make more than a physician and I have only met one of them with a degree less than a bachelors degree. You basically need at least a bachelors degree seriously! I know some Nurse practitioners and PAs that have gone that route because of burn out from clinical practice. Their compensation is comparable. (50s-60s) Some NP/PA make much more than that however. I know of many PAs making 6 figures or very near. Also I do not know a physician the makes under 120K/year

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